Vinylidene alcohol compositions

ABSTRACT

Particular compositions of vinylidene alcohols are provided which are distinguishably characterized by their structure, their biodegradable nature, and by their very low pour point characteristics. These compositions can be used to provide useful surfactants and detergents and to form distinctive ethoxylate derivatives having unusual attributes, such as biodegradability, very high rates of water solubility, nongelling tendencies, and superior wetting ability; and certain of these ethoxylate compositions are synergistic in wetting ability and, unlike related ethoxylates of conventional alcohols, the ethoxylates of certain compositions possess cloud point temperatures within an especially desired range.

baited States Patent 1 Gipson et a1.

1 1 VINYLIDENE ALCOHOL COMPOSITIONS [75] inventors: Robert M. Gipson; Floyd E. Bentley; John G. Milligan, all of Austin, Tex.

[73] Assignee: Jefferson Chemical Company, Inc.,

Houston, Tex.

[22] Filed: June 7, I972 [21] Appl. No; 260,545

[52] US. Cl. 260/615 B; 252/89; 252/351;

260/632 R; 260/632 HF; 260/638 HF;

260/642 R [51] Int. Cl. C070 43/00; C07c 43/04 [58] Field of Search 260/615 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,508,036 5/1950 Kosmin 260/615 B 2,624,766 11/1953 Butler 260/615 B 2,644,833 F /1953 Kosmin 260/615 B X 2,647,913 18/1953 Kosmin 260/615 B X 2,671,115 13 /1954 Kosmin 260/615 B 2,864,717 12/1958 Lyons 260/615 B 2,979,533 4/1961 Bruson et a1. 260/615 B 1 June3,1975

3,682,849 8/1972 Smith et a1. 260/615 B FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,302,430 7/1962 France 260/615 B Primary Examinerl-loward T. Mars Attorney, Agent, or Firm.lohn R. Kirk, Jr.; Terrence Dean Dreyer; James L. Bailey [57] ABSTRACT Particular compositions of vinylidene alcohols are provided which are distinguishably characterized by their structure, their biodegradable nature, and by their very low pour point characteristics. These compositions can be used to provide useful surfactants and detergents and to form distinctive ethoxylate derivatives having unusual attributes, such as biodegradability, very high rates of water solubility, nongelling tendencies, and superior wetting ability; and certain of these ethoxylate compositions are synergistic in wetting ability and, unlike related ethoxylates of conventional a1- cohols, the ethoxylates of certain compositions possess cloud point temperatures within an especially desired range.

4 Claims, No Drawings VllNYlLilDENE ALCOHOL COMPOSITIONS This invention relates to the field of synthetic alcohols and to products useful for forming synthetic surfactants Novel compositions exhibiting unusual characteristics and superior properties are included.

Alcohols derived from both natural and synthetic origins have been widely utilized in a variety of applications. Exemplary areas in which such alcohols and their derivatives have been employed include their application in plasticizers, textile treatments, lubricants, polyurethanes, amines, alkyd coatings, surfactants, and the like. The employment of alochols in the surfactant area is notably increasing in importance.

Surfactants. such as the alcohol alkoxylates, have been broadly employed by the detergent and other related industries, as wetting agents, solubilizing agents, washing agents, foaming agents, emulsifying agents, rewetting agents, dispersing agents, scouring agents, and the like.

Since the various surfactant applications of such alcohols are so myriad and categorically nondistinctive, a more convenient manner of characterizing the surfactants than by their utility is to use a system wherein they are classified as anionic, cationic. amphoteric, or nonionic, depending upon the nature of the ionic charge, if any, of the hydrophilic moiety of the surfactant.

Nonionic type surfactants to which the subject invention is related have been derived from alcohols by condensing them with alkylene oxides.

These as well as the other surfactant types may, or may not. exhibit a sufficient combination of properties so that they can be used beneficially in more than one application.

Regardless of whether a material has a rather wide or narrow range of useful functions. there are some relatively basic and cogent criteria that in reality can dictate the suitability and/or acceptability of an alcohol and its surfactant derivatives.

For example, a synthetic surfactant may be an excellent detergent and wetter and yet not be biodegradable. This fact would, in effect, bar acceptability of this surfactant by the public and/or the industry.

In like manner, a surfactant may have excellent and varied activities but exist in such a physical state that its use in inconvenient, if not prohibited in many applications. Accordingly, the surfactant may under conditions normal to its application undergo gelling and thus become an unusable product. The product may have a prohibitive slow rate of solution in water or have an undesirable cloud point, whereby the value of the surfactant is substantially diminished.

The possession of such attributes as biodegradability, nongelling tendencies, a rapid rate of solution in water, and a desirable cloud point, are. in effect, conditions precedent to the beneficial utilization of a surfactants basic functions.

Obviously, the worth of an alcohol-derived surfactant is heavily dependent on thhe characteristics ofthe alcohol. The basic character of the alcohol determines, to a large extent, whether the alcohol can be satisfactorily and conveniently converted to a surfactant material and whether the surfactant will successfully demonstrate the aforementioned attributes. In summary, the alcohol must be biodegradable and exist in a conve nient form, such as in the liquid state at room temperature, in order to enable successful utilization in a wider variety of applications.

To these ends, and in view of recent ecology awareness, alcohols which are essentially linear in nature, such as those derived from natural sources, were necessarily desired by the detergent and related industries for their biodegradable nature.

For many practical reasons, including costs. product control, and availability of such natural alcohol sources as fats, oils and waxes, manufacturers have turned to synthesizing alcohols, and their derivatives, which simulate the straight chain character of the naturally occurring products.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,747 is representative of such an endeavor. Therein, Ziegler type primary linear alcohols are prepared from trialkylaluminum mixtures made by way of ethylene polymerization, subsequent oxidation, and hydrolysis of the resultant aluminum alkoxides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,391,219 representatively describes the preparation of such trialkylaluminum mixtures and further exemplifies the desire to prepare a highly pure linear alpha-olefin chain, such as one suitable for subsequent alcohol preparation.

The high linearity of the Ziegler-type alcohols is reported to result in a high degree of biodegradability. The unsuitability and the avoidance of the branched type alcohols, and their derivatives, in the surfactant area is additionally exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,488,384; 3,504,041 and 3,567,784. Notably, a major application for the Ziegler type alcohols has been in nonionic surfactant production.

Another method now customarily employed for producing similar alcohols is the process comprising reacting linear olefins with carbon monoxide and hydrogen under oxo reaction conditions. Heretofore, however, several companies were employing propylene tetramer feedstocks in the named 0x0 reaction to produce tridecylalcohol but the branched nature of the alcohol virtually eliminated it as a serious candidate in the surfactant area.

In the present conventional oxo processes linear alpha-olefin feeds are used whereby a mixture of normal and 2-alkyl branched primary alcohols are produced. Because approximately 30 to 40 wt. 7(, and greater, of the alcohols have 2-alkyl branching, the conventional oxo alcohol method has been subjected to criticism. More recently, however, efforts in improving the 0x0 process have resulted in oxo alcohols having considerably less 2-alkyl branching. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,239,569 and 3,239,571 illustrate such facts.

It has been reported, such as by the Stanford Research Institute, Linear Higher Alcohols, Report No. 27, August 1967, at pages 3 and 133, that these more recent oxo alcohols having substantially less 2-alkyl branching are biodegradable because of the occurrence of branching at the favorable 2-position, which type of branching has only a relatively small detrimental effect on the biodegradability of its derivatives. It is evident, therefore, from the above-stated art that branched alcohols for surfactant production are to be otherwise avoided.

Other alcohol types have also been produced by the oxidation of normal paraffms but, unlike those alcohols produced by the ethylene polymerization process and those generally derived from natural origins, are secondary alcohols. The secondary alcohols, unlike the corresponding primary alcohols, in some surfactant applications, such as in the sulfated alcohol area, do not demonstrate the same desired properties. The secondary alcohols have other reported disadvantages.

As will be hereinafter more fully presented. the known alcohols or their surfactant derivatives. lack in varying degrees some of the heretofore detailed criteria that govern the overall suitability and/or acceptability of the alcohol and/or its surfactant derivatives. Accordingly. the heretofore known alcohols do not generally exist in a convenient liquid state and, except for those alcohols below undecanol, and the highly branched alcohols, such as prepared from propylene and butylene trimers, tetramers, and the like, they can be generally characterized as solid or relatively solid materials at or near room temperature. The latter named branched alcohols are unsuitable for surfactant application because of their resistence to biodegradation.

It is clearly evident that there is a definite and acute need for higher molecular weight alcohols that are liquid at room temperatures. biodegradable and able to meet the basic standards that regulate whether the useful attributes of the alcohol and its surfactant derivatives can be fully utilized.

Surprisingly, such alcohol compositions have now been discovered. We have fortuitously found novel alcohol compositions that are not only biodegradable but exist at room temperature in the liquid state. Accordingly, our novel alcohol compositions, when compared to the biodegradable prior art alcohols, possess freezing point (melting point) values far below anything heretofore known. Our alcohol compositions, in addition to being easily facilitated in a variety of applications, have effectively broadened the molecular weight range of surfactant suitable alcohols.

Further, the novel biodegradable ethoxylated derivatives of our unusual alcohols possess distinguishingly unique characteristics. For instance, the ethoxylates of our alcohols are products having excellent detersive and surfactant activity over a broader molecular weight range of the alcohol. Comparison of our ethoxylated alcohols with other prior art biodegradable ethoxylates is accurately and representatively portrayed at similar cloud points, the cloud point being the temperature at which a one wt. 70 aqueous solution of the surfactant turns from clear to cloudy as the temperature of the solution is raised. The particular cloud point of the surfactant is very important and the surfactant must obviously meet the cloud point specifications of the practitioner if the surfactant is to be commercially acceptable. For most general applications cloud point specifications are preferably between 55C and 66C. Recognizably, some specialized applications require a somewhat higher cloud point.

The synthetic alcohol ethoxylate derivatives of this invention exhibit outstanding qualities within said spec ifications. Therefore, when a comparison is made of our synthetic alcohol ethoxylate compositions with the related alcohol derived products now in the art, our compositions demonstrate superior wetting ability and much faster rates of water solubility. Perhaps most exciting is the fact that our herein defined alcohol derived surfactant compositions have a reduced tendency to gel in water at room temperature, a condition that has plagued the ethoxylates of the Ziegler and oxo-type alcohols previously mentioned. A further surprising advantage is that certain of our alcohol ethoxylate compositions are synergistic in wetting ability.

Therefore, in accordance with out invention, novel vinylidene alcohol compositions are provided which can be representatively depicted by the following Formulas I to V:

Formula 1 CIIH CH OH wherein, individually, x and y are numbers from 1 to 15 and the sum ofx and y is in the range of 6 to 16.

Formula II l cu ou wherein, individually, u and v are numbers from O to 16 and the sum of u and v is in the range of 6 to 16.

Formula 111 wherein n is a number from O to 17, m is a number from 2 to 17 and the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to 17.

Formula IV Cll Ol-l wherein, individually, r, s and r are numbers from O to 15 and the sum of r, s and r is in the range of 5 to 15.

Formula V J h CH C CH CL OH ltl wherein R"" is an alkyl radical which corresponds to the alkyl portion of the above-represented vinylidene alcohols.

It should be noted that our novel compositions have been herein referred to as vinylidene alcohols and vinylidene ethoxylates. The term vinylidene" has been employed for convenience to described our compositions because vinylidene olefins have herein been employed to provide these novel compositions. Accordingly, vinylidene olefins herein referred to are those corresponding to the following representative formula:

Formula VII wherein R and R are linear alkyl radicals having a total of 8 to 18 carbon atoms and wherein R and R taken individually represent a C to C alkyl radical, preferably a C to C alkyl radical.

Therefore, the term vinylidene alcohol" as used throughout the specification and/or claims designates those alcohols represented by Formulas I to V herein and, correspondingly, the term vinylidene ethoxylate" is used herein to designate those ethoxylates represented by Formula VI herein.

The vinylidene alcohols of this invention can be prepared by the hydroformylation of the vinylidene olefins (Formula VII), whereby said vinylidene olefins are reacted with carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Said vinylidene olefins can also be reacted with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-yielding components to also provide our vinylidene alcohols. The vinylidene alcohols prepared by either the hydroformylation or formaldehyde addition reactions contain one more carbon atom than the olefin starting material.

The unsaturated vinylidene alcohols represented by Formula V can be prepared by employing said vinylidene olefins in the stated formaldehyde addition reaction. For some unexplained reason, the vinylidene olefins used in our invention are usually reactive with formaldehyde and formaldehyde-yielding components. Further, the formaldehyde addition process is so selective that when the vinylidene olefins of this invention are utilized in this process, the primary alcohol product contains 90 to 100 wt. 7:, usually 95 wt. and greater, of the novel compositions represented by Formula V.

These alcohols, being unsaturated, can be hydrogenated by conventional means to form vinylidene alcohols such as represented by Formula I.

Use of the stated hydroformylation process for preparing our novel compositions provides vinylidene alcohols represented by Formulas I through IV, any or all of which can be coproduced in varying amounts. For example, when using the 0x0 process typically about 25 to 90 wt. of the vinylidene alcohols produced will be of the Formula I type.

Our novel compositions include, therefore, mixtures of vinylidene alcohols, or mixtures of the corresponding vinylidene ethoxylates, such as a mixture of those representatively depicted in Formulas I and II or a mixture of compounds represented by Formulas I, II, III

and IV, and the like. As herein noted, the vinylidene alcohols will have one more carbon atom than did the vinylidene olefin from which they can be obtained. Accordingly, if a particular vinylidene olefin, such as a C is employed in the hydroformylation or formaldehyde addition reaction, a C alcohol which corresponds to one or more of the represented Formulas I through V is produced. In like manner, where mixtures of olefins, such as a mixture of C and C olefins, are employed, mixtures of C and C vinylidene alcohols are produced which correspond to one or more of the representative formulas.

Our inventive compositions, as herein depicted by representative formulations, include, therefore, mixtures of vinylidene alcohols or correspondingly vinylidene ethoxylates, such as a mixture of C and C alcohols as well as covering mixtures of alcohols, such as a mixture of C vinylidene alcohols represented by two or more of the above formulas.

It should also be noted that the above representative formulas of our vinylidene alcohols, and correspondingly our vinylidene ethoxylates, individually include various stereo isomers, or mixtures thereof, whenever asymmetrical carbon atom is present. Included, therefore, in our invention are such isomeric forms of th compositions depicted.

The particular vinylidene alcohols represented by Formula I are generally preferred because they are very representative, or highly illustrative of, the many unusual and unexpected characteristics of our novel compositions.

As previously indicated the vinylidene ethoxylates (Formula VI) of our invention comprise an alkyl portion, i.e., R", which corresponds to the alkyl moiety of the vinylidene alcohols, such that R"" in the representative formula Formula VI is an alkyl radical containing II to 21 carbon atoms and is selected from the following radicals (a) to (d):

(Cll Cll wherein, individually, x and y are integers from 1 to 15 and the sum of .r and y is in the range of 6 to 16;

b) CH3 wherein, individually, u and v are integers from O to 16 and the sum of u and v is in the range of 6 to 16;

wherein n is an integer from to 17, In is an integer from 2 to 17 and the sum of n and m is in the range of 7 to 17;

d) ca wherein, individually, r, s and t are integers from 0 to 15 and the sum of r, s and t is in the range of 5 to or R"" is an unsaturated alkyl radical represented as Illll wherein, individually, R" is a linear alkyl radical containing at least one carbon atom and R' is a linear alkyl radical containing at least 2 carbon atoms and wherein the total carbon atoms of R" and R' are in the range of 7 to 17; and admixtures of (a) to (e), and wherein w is a number in the range of 7 to 15, preferably 7 to 12. i

It is understood that when a plurality of ethylene oxide units are condensed with a vinylidene alcohol, or mixture of alcohols, that various oxyethylene chain lengths will result. Accordingly, as used herein, the value of w is an average number indicating the average number of oxyethylene units present.

In order to further characterize a particularly surprising aspect of our invention, we have included in the above-mentioned formula the subscript 1. Therefore, I in the following formula Formula VIII represents a number corresponding to the number of the carbon atoms contained in the alkyl radical R" and z is within the range of 11 to 15. For example. when 1 is 15 and w is 11 the vinylidene ethoxylate represented is the l l-mol ethoxylate adduct of the vinylidene alcohol, pentadecanol.

In this regard, we have surprisingly found that if the value of the ratio of w to z, in this formula, is within the range 0.685 to 0.755 the vinylidene ethoxylates not only will demonstrate the preferred surfactant requisites discussed throughout the specification but they will, unlike the primary alcohols of the Ziegler and oxo process of the prior art, possess the significant advantage of having the particular cloud points that satisfy the general specifications of the industry.

Another startling aspect is the discovery that when 1 is 13 and w is in the range of9 to 10, i.e., the 9 to 10- mol ethoxylate of our C vinylidene alcohol, the vinylidene ethoxylate demonstrates synergistic wetting ability with other alcohol ethoxylates and particularly enhances the activity of the stated prior art alcohol ethoxylates.

In accordance with our invention the vinylidene olefin starting materials, i.e., those represented by Formula VII, can be prepared by a conventional process such as by dimerizing alpha-olefins, e.g., Alkyl-CH CH mixtures thereof, and the like. For example, a mixture of C., to C alpha-olefins can be used. A suitable process to produce vinylidene olefins is representatively described in US. Pat. No. 2,695,327. Typical vinylidene olefins are 2-hexyldecene-l,2-octyldecene- 1,2-octyldodecene-l, and the like.

The alpha-olefins can be provided via the conventional conversion of ethylene by a combined growthdisplacement reaction using Ziegler-type polymerization catalysts such as the trialkylaluminums. The resultant olefin fraction can be separated and the particular olefin fraction desired can be recovered for vinylidene olefin preparation such as by dimerization.

The vinylidene olefins are most readily converted to our novel alcohols by way of the stated formaldehyde addition process or by the hydroformylation (oxo) process.

Process conditions typical to a conventional oxo reaction can be employed. The conditions can be varied over broad ranges according to the desires of the practitioner and dictates of the particular catalyst used. Generally, temperatures in the range of about 25C to 250C and pressures in the range of about 15 to 10,000 psig can be employed. Conventional catalysts and conditions known to enhance alcohol production selectively over aldehydes can be employed. Catalysts such as those derived from cobalt and rhodium which are usually complexes of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, with or without other ligands, are also suitable. Catalyst complexes containing amines, phosphines, phosphites, pentavalent phosphorus, arsenic and antimony compounds, halides. carboxylate anions, and the like, are exemplary. Representative catalysts, conditions, and recovery techniques are exemplarily described in US. Pat. Nos. 3,594,425; 3,239,566; 3,239,571; 3,420,898 and in Carbon Monoxide in Organic Synthesis, .lurgen Falbe, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1970.

As previously stated, the formaldehyde addition process can also be employed. This process provides high selectivity and unexpectedly rapid and complete conversions of vinylidene olefins to our vinylidene alcohols. This process can be employed without a catalyst when temperatures are sufficiently high such as around 200C. Acidic catalysts can be employed, if desired. Catalysts are preferred if temperatures less than 200C are employed to give better reaction rates. Exemplary catalysts suitable are BE, and complexes thereof. acetic acid, tin halides, such as stannic chloride. and the like. Temperatures up to that where decomposition begins can be employed. Generally, temperatures in the range of about 50C to 300C are used. Generally, pressures sufficient to maintain an essentially liquid phase are used. Exemplary conditions, and the like, are further described in US. Pat. Nos. 2,335,027; 2,624,766 and in Angewandte Chemie, International Edition, H. M. R. Hoffmann, 8, 556 (1969).

The vinylidene alcohols of this invention can be converted to our vinylidene ethoxylates by way of typical alkoxylation procedures, such as wherein an alcohol and ethylene oxide are condensed in the presence of alkaline catalysts, such as alkali metal hydroxides, alkali metal alcoholates or phenolates or metallic sodium and potassium. and the like. Sodium and potassium hydroxide are exemplary catalysts.

Gther methods for preparing the alkyl polyoxyethylene adducts of our alcohols can be employed such as by the conversion of the alcohol to the corresponding alkyl halide, e.g., alkyl bromide. by means of, e.g., PBr;,, followed by reaction with the appropriate glycol, 1.e.,

Another method is by the stepwise reaction of the alcohol with ethylene chlorohydrin.

The base catalyzed addition of ethylene oxide to the alcohol is the preferred method and it readily enables the control of the number of oxyethylene units added to the alcohol. Usually in this process temperatures in the range of about 100C to 350C are employed. Generally, pressures sufficient to maintain an essentially liquid phase are used. One representative process is described in US. Pat. No. 3.436.426. It should be noted that the ethoxylates of this invention have an advantage over the secondary alcohol ethoxylates, previously mentioned. in that they can be easily prepared in a onestep ethoxylation process.

The foregoing discussion and description is further illustrated by the following examples which depict various of our alcohol ethoxylate compositions and demonstrate many of the distinguishing aspects of this invention. The examples are not to be interpreted as a limitation on the scope of the foregoing discussion and description or on the materials therein employed. The compositions prepared in the following examples were verified by nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared, chromatographic and hydroxyl number analysis.

EXAMPLE 1 This example, as well as Examples 11 through V, demonstrate preparation of our novel primary alcohol compositions :such as those corresponding to Formula V hereinabove.

To a one-gallon autoclave was charged 2,060 grams of a C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising a 50:50 weight mixture of 2-ethyl-l-octene and 2-butyl-1- hexene and 230 grams of paraformaldehyde. The autoclave was flushed with nitrogen and heated at 250C for 1 hour. The reactor effluent was washed twice with water and distilled to provide 690 grams of vinylidene C alcohols, b.p. 119 to 127C at mm. Referring to Formula V, about 50 wt. of the product comprised a composition wherein R" is propyl and R is butyl. About 50% of the product comprised a mixture of (a) wherein R" is pentyl and R' is ethyl and (b) wherein R is methyl and R is hexyl. Accordingly, almost 100 wt. 70 of the products comprised a mixture of 3-ethylnon-3-enol, 3-hexylpent-3-enol, and 3-butylhept-3- enol.

EXAMPLE 11 A one-liter stirred autoclave was charged with 340 grams of a C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising 2- butyl-l-octene and 32 grams paraformaldehyde. The reactor was flushed with nitrogen and heated at 275C for 1 hour. The effluent was washed with successive 200 ml portions of an aqueous solution of 0.5 wt. sulfuric acid and 5 wt. sodium bicarbonate. The washed effluent was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered, and distilled to give 95 grams of product, b.p.

C to 1 10C at 3 mm. Over 90 wt. 7r of the product was identified as 3-butylnon-3-enol, 3-hexyl-hept-3- enol and their formate esters.

EXAMPLE 111 A one-gallon stirred autoclave was charged with 1,960 grams ofa C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising a 50:50 weight of 2butyl-l-decene and 2-hexyl-loctene and grams paraformaldehyde. The autoclave was flushed with nitrogen and heated at 250C for 1 hour. The effluent was washed with water and distilled to give 1434 grams unreacted C olefins and 421 grams C alcohols, b.p. to C. at 5 mm. The products were about 95 wt. of a 50:50 mixture of 3-hexylnon-3-enol and a mixture of 3-butylundec-3- enol and 3-octylhept-3-enol.

EXAMPLE IV A one-liter stirred autoclave was charged with 450 grams of a C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising 2-hexyl-l-decene and 33 grams of paraformaldehyde. The autoclave was flushed with nitrogen and heated at 250C to 252C for 1 hour. The effluent was washed once with 200 ml mater and distilled to give 356 grams unreacted olefin and 90 grams of product, b.p. C to 157C at 5 mm. The product fraction was identified as over 95 wt. 7: of a mixture of 3-hexylundec-3-enol and 3octylnon-3-enol.

EXAMPLE V A three-gallon autoclave was charged with 6,048 grams of a C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising a 50:50 wt. mixture of 2-octyl-1-decene and 2-hexyl-1- dodecene and 396 grams of paraformaldehyde. The autoclave was flushed with nitrogen and heated at 250C to 254C for 1.5 hours. The temperature was reduced to 200C and 400 ml water was injected into the autoclave. The temperature was maintained at C to C for one hour. The reactor effluent was washed twice with water and distilled to give 1.585 grams C alcohols, b.p. 153C to 159C at 0.5-0.7 mm. The product alcohol comprised about 50 wt. of 3- decylnon-3-enol and about 50 wt. 70 of a mixture of 3- octylundec-3-eno1 and 3-hexyltridec-3-enol.

EXAMPLE VI This example, as well as Examples V11 through X demonstrate the hydrogenation of unsaturated vinylidene alcohols to provide saturated alcohols corresponding predominantly to the alcohols of Formula 1. The unsaturated C vinylidene alcohols produced in Example I, above, were hydrogenated over a nickelcopper-chromium hydrogenation catalyst at 154C to 165C and 700 to 1,800 psig. Distillation of the filtered effluent gave 353 grams ofa saturated C alcohol, b.p. 114C to 116C at 10 mm. The primary alcohol product was essentially a 100 wt. 70 mixture of 3- ethylnonanol and 3-butylheptanol.

EXAMPLE V11 A 400-ml sample of C unsaturated vinylidene alcohols prepared as in Example 11 was hydrogenated over a reduced nickel catalyst at 158C to 163C at 1.175 to 2,100 psig. The reactor effluent was filtered and a portion of it distilled to give 31 1 grams of C saturated vinylidene alcohols, b.p. 135C to 138C at 8 mm. The

vinylidene alcohol was essentially butylnonanol.

EXAMPLE VIII a 1,300-gram sample of unsaturated C vinylidene alcohol, prepared as in Example III, was hydrogenated over a nickel-copper-chromium hydrogenation catalyst at 138C to 164C at 650 to 1,050 psig. The hydrogenated material was distilled to give 1,240 grams of C vinylidene alcohols, b.p. 117C to 121C at 0.35 to 0.60 mm. The saturated vinylidene alcohols were a mixture of 3-butylundecanol and 3-hexylnanonol.

EXAMPLE IX A 920gram sample of unsaturated C vinylidene alcohol, prepared as in Example IV, was hydrogenated over a nickel-copper-chromium hydrogenation catalyst at 163C to 173C at 550 to 1,100 psig. The hydrogenation effluent was filtered and distilled to give 804 grams of C saturated vinylidene alcohols, b.p. 155C to 157C at 3.0 mm. The vinylidene alcohol product contained greater than 90 wt. 3-hexlundecanol.

EXAMPLE X A 1,000-gram sample of C unsaturated vinylidene alcohol that was prepared in previous Example V was hydrogenated over a nickel-copper-chromium hydrogenation catalyst at 153C to 165C at 725 to 1,100 psig. The hydrogenated material was distilled to give 839 grams of C saturated vinylidene alcohols. b.p. 156C to 161C at 0.7 mm. The vinylidene alcohol product was over 95 wt. 7c of a mixture of 3- hexyltridecanol and 3-octylundecanol.

EXAMPLE XI This example, as well as Examples XII through XVI, demonstrates the preparation of our vinylidene alcohols by way of the hydroformylation process. The vinylidene alcohol compositions produced corresponded to the above Formulas I through IV.

A 1,400-ml rocking autoclave was charged with 500 grams of C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising a 50:50 wt. 7r mixture of 2-ethyl-l-octene and 2-butyl-lhcxene, 17 grams of a cobalt octoate solution (12 wt. cobalt), and 14 grams of tributylphosphine. The reaction mixture was contacted with a 1:1 mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at 180C to 187C and 1.500 to 3,000 psig for 4 hours. The reactor effluent was distilled to give 219 grams ofa mixture of C alde hyde and C vinylidene alcohol, b.p. 105C to 125C at 15 mm. A portion of the mixture, i.e., the C oxo product, was hydrogenated over a reduced cobalt catalyst at 160C at 1,000 to 1,300 psig for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was filtered and distilled to provide 156 grams of C primary vinylidene alcohol, b.p. of 112] 17C at 10 mm.

EXAMPLE XII A 1400-ml rocking autoclave was charged with 400 grams of a C vinylidene olefin comprising 2-butyl'1- octene, 7 grams ofa solution of cobalt linoresinate (6 wt. 7( cobalt) and 10 grams of tris(nonylphenyl)phosphate. The autoclave was flushed with synthesis gas (1:1 weight mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide) and heated to 160C. Synthesis gas was introduced at a constant pressure of 3000 psig and the temperature held at 160C for l hourv The reactor effluent was flashed in a wiped film evaporator at 220C and 1.5 mm pressure to give 401 grams overhead material and 53 grams bottoms.

The overhead fraction was hydrogenated over a reduced cobalt catalyst at 180C at 400l,000 psig hydrogen pressure. Distillation of 340 gran. fhe hydrogenated material provided 242 grams of C vinylidene primary alcohols, b.p. C to C at 5 mm. About 53 wt. of the vinylidene alcohols conformed to Formula l, e.g., 3-butyl1-nonanol, and the remainder was a mixture of alcohols corresponding to Formulas II to IV.

EXAMPLE XIII A mixture of 50 wt. 2-butyl-l-octene, 25 wt. 2- butyl-l-decene and 25 wt. 2-hexyl-l'octene containing 0.1 wt. cobalt (as cobalt linoresinate) and 1.5 mols tris(nonylphenyl)phosphate per gram atom of cobalt was fed to a continuous tubular reactor with an excess of 1:1 mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The reaction was conducted at a temperature in the range of C to 160C at 3,000 psig and at a liquid hourly space velocity of 1 gram/hour/ml. The reactor effluent was passed through a wiped film evaporator to separate the unreacted olefins and product aldehydes and alcohols as overhead material from the catalyst.

The flashed material was hydrogenated in a continuous fixed bed reactor over a reduced cobalt catalyst at 1,500 psig, and l65l90C temperature and at a liquid hourly space velocity of 1 gram/hour/ml. Distillation of the hydrogenation reactor effluent provided C primary vinylidene alcohols, b.p. 125C at 5 mm and C primary vinylidene alcohols, b.p. C to 157C at 5 mm. The C alcohols were essentially identical to those produced in Example XII. The product boiling at l50-157C was a mixture of isomers of C primary vinylidene alcohols as representatively shown in Formulas I to IV as demonstrated by chromatographic, spectral and wet analysis methods.

EXAMPLE XIV A 1400-ml rocking autoclave was charged with 500 grams of C vinylidene olefin comprising 2-hexyl-ldecene and 75 grams of a heptane solution of cobalt octacarbonyl containing 3.6 grams cobalt. This mixture was treated with synthesis gas, as in the previous examples, at 130-133C and 2,0003,000 psig for 2.5 hours. The reactor effluent was decobalted by stirring with 300 ml of an aqueous solution containing 7 wt. 7: acetic acid and 3 wt. sodium acetate for one hour at 6065C. The mixture was cooled and the aqueous layer separated to give 596 grams material. The recovered material was hydrogenated over a cobalt catalyst at l60l90C and ZOO-2,000 psig for 75 minutes. The catalyst was removed by filtration and the product dis tilled to provide 349 grams of C primary vinylidene alcohol, b.p. l50-170C at 3-4 mm.

EXAMPLE XV A 1,400- ml rocking autoclave was charged with 530 grams of a 50:50 weight mixture ofa C vinylidene olefin fraction comprising 2-hexyll-dodecene and 2- octyl-l-decene, and 12 grams of a rhodium heptanoate solution containing 3 wt. 7c rhodium. This solution was treated with a 1:1 mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at l24-l30C and 7503,000 psig for two hours. The autoclave was cooled and vented and 50 grams of a reduced cobalt hydrogenation catalyst was added. The reaction mixture was treated with hydrogen at 160C and 975-1 .300 psig for 3.25 hours. The reactor effluent was filtered and distilled to provide 442 grams ofC primary vinylidene alcohols. b.p. 153C to 158C at 1 1mm.

EXAMPLE XVI A 1,400-ml rocking autoclave was charged with 500 grams of a C vinylidene olefin comprising 2-octyl-ldodecene and 75 grams of cobalt octacarbonyl solution in heptane containing 3.6 grams of cobalt. This mixture was contacted with synthesis gas as in the previous examples at l30l40C and l,200-3,000 psig for three hours. The autoclave was cooled and vented and 40 grams of a reduced cobalt hydrogenation catalyst was added. This mixture was treated with hydrogen at 170C and l,3752,000 psig for 1.5 hours. The reactor effluent was filtered and distilled to give 224 grams of C primary vinylidene alcohol, b.p. 168C to 172C at 0.3-0.5 mm.

EXAMPLE XVII In a stainless steel autoclave was placed 100 grams of EXAMPLE XVIII The novel vinylidene alcohols of this invention are herein further compared with corresponding prior art alcohols. Type A primary vinylidene alcohols represent those vinylidene alcohols prepared according to Examples I through V. Type B primary vinylidene alcohols represent those vinylidene alcohols prepared according to Examples VI through X. Type C primary vinylidene alcohols represent those prepared by Examples XI through XVI. Type D prior art primary alcohols are those oxo alcohols made from the hydroformylation of linear alpha-olefins. Type E prior art primary alcohols represent those normal primary alcohols prepared from trialkylaluminum.

Certain novel and unique characteristics of our primary vinylidene alcohols are demonstrated by the following data reported in Table 1. It is evident that with the sole exception of the C vinylidene alcohol prepared by the hydroformylation of 2-octyl-l-dodecene our vinylidene alcohols do not freeze above -50C. It is particularly noteworthy and surprising that our vinylidene alcohols exhibit significantly lower freezing points than the prior art alcohols that contain 2- C primary vinylidene alcohol prepared as in Example 25 monoalkyl branching.

TABLE 1 ALCOHOL TYPE (E) Prior Art Run Carbon (A) Unsaturated (B) Saturated (C) Oxo Vinylidene (D) Prior Art Normal Primary No. No Vinylidene Alcohol Vinylidene Alcohol Alcohol OX Al h l Al h l 1 l l 50 50 50 -4 3" 19 2 l2 14-20 24.8 3 l3 50 50 -50 l72l 305 4 l4 39-40 .5 l5 50 50 50 27 438 6 16 50 .7 l7 50 50 50 42-45 54 8 l8 585 9 l9 50 50 50 6263 10 I10 655 l 1 l 21 "'In addition to normal alcohol product contained wt. Z-alkyl branching "'A mixture (40:60) C ,C oxo alcohol (NEODOL 23) contains Z-methyl branching.

XIII. The olefin feed for the vinylidene alcohol preparation was made using a vinylidene olefin product prepared from hexene-l dimerization. Flaked potassium hydroxide (0.5 gram) was added, and the contents of the autoclave were heated to 140C. Ethylene oxide was added at such a rate that the pressure was maintained at about psig and the temperature at about 140C. When 220 grams of ethylene oxide had been added the catalyst was neutralized with 0.54 grams of oxalic acid. Filter aid was added and the product filtered to provide a vinylidene alcohol ethoxylate having a cloud point of 62C and a pour point of 16C.

A small amount of this product was poured into water at approximately,25C and the vinylidene alcohol ethoxylate dissolved readily without forming a gel. Contrarily, an ethoxylate made from a C alcohol prepared by the hydroformylation of dodecene-l gelled immediately when added to water and was dissolved only with great difficulty.

EXAMPLE XIX The novel vinylidene alcohols of this invention are herein compared to the prior art liquid primary alcohols, e.g., tridecyl alcohol prepared by the hydroformylation of propylene tetramer. Contrary to expectations from the known teachings, the data reported in Table 2 clearly demonstrate the biodegradability of our vinylidene alcohols.

The tests were run in a Hach Manometric BOD apparatus, Model 2173. Each test used mg of the subject alcohol and 157 ml of BOD dilution water containing 10 or 20% by volume of bacterial seed. The bacterial seed was either raw domestic sewage from a sewage treatment plant which had been settled for 24 hours at 20C and filtered through glass wool or an acclimated seed. The acclimated bacterial seed was obtained by aerating raw sewage with daily settling and siphoning off of twothirds of the liquid and feeding increasing increments of test alcohols along with fresh sewage for a lweek period.

TABLE 2 FIVE-DAY BIO-CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND (PER I mg OF SAMPLEW Acclimated Seed Raw Sewage Seed ""Slumluril Mvilmllx fill rln' Exmnjnuriun ()f'lVfllt! and l'l/ua'rwmmr. 12th Edition. I965. p. 417. American Public Health Association. New York. NY.

""Oxo \inylidene alcohol. same as reported in Table l. ""Unsaturated rinylidcnc alcohol. same as reported in Table l. '"SaturntedXinylidene alcohol. same as reported in Table l.

EXAMPLE XX invention show a significantly less tendency to form Using the procedure of EXampleXVIL many diffep such gels. This example, therefore. demonstrates the ent carbon numbered alcohols from C to C were Comparahve p h y at fhlchour y alcohol converted to ethylene oxide adducts. The alcohols ethoxylates are dlssoh'ed Water at ywere made from the v'in'ylidene olefins either by the 0x0 rate of sohmoh fh wzfter at room temperature is reaction or by the formaldehyde addition process. The 0 poftam for Phhzhtlohs alcoholethoxylmese alcohols from. the I f ld h d reaction This character stic further permits convenient room I were employed both as the unsaturated alcohol or at" "temp'emwre mlxmg, reacting, and the .the hydrogenated (saturated) alcohol where indicated. T example was Conducted-by p a m 60 The ethylene oxide adducts have been characterized by mmZedh/aler at In a 150 ml beaker m WhlCh a their cloud point of a one wt. 7( aqueous solution. The magnetic shrrer'was p y Ten drops of the hquld novel vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this invention alcohol ethoxylate be tested was p y added to the are h i d i h cgn-espondingprjorart alcoc water while stirring the solution at a constant rate by hol ethoxylates. As previously demonstrated in Exam-' mfiahs of the magnetic An electric timfir, trigple XVII, most of the prior art primary alcohol ethoxygered when thfi first op was added. measured h lates which are generally employedfor surfactant applil p e m f r C mplete diss lution f the added urcation undergo gel formatio he the n i i factant. Three duplicate runs were made'for each samf ethoxylate isadded to 'watenAccordingly, aqueous sople tested and the average elapsed time was calculated. l ti are prepared f n with great diffi l A These average times in. seconds for the various alcohol viously stated the vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this hoxylates are reported in Table 3..

TABLE 3 Run Alcohol Carbon No. Cloud Point, C. Solution Time No Type"" 7 Alcohol Alcohol Ethoxylate Seconds 1 D 13 62 206 2 C 13 49 3O 3 C 13 70 10 4 A 13 56 10 5 B 13 44 I4 6 Tridecyl [3 39.5 30 7 D [5 53.5 400 8 C 15 64 l26 9 B 15 23 IO B 15 76 I90 11 D 17 52 400 l2 B 17 51.3 13 D ll/l3 60 lol 14 C 11/13 61 15 D 13/15 59 292 16 C l3/l5"" 5O 28 17 C 13/15 65 20 18 C l3/l5" 88 I31 19 D ll/l3/l5" 61 198 20 D/C/CU ll/l3/l5 63 lO 21 D/D/C/C 1 1/1 3/13/t5"' 49 19 22 D l2l5" 50 343 23 D 12-15" 90 l 24 D 1243" 45 I71 25 E l2l8" 59 298 26 E 1244" 55 263 27 E 12 62 400 "The alcohol composition is the same as that reported in Table I. "25175 wt. 7( mixture 60:40 wt. )2 mixture "57:43 wt. 92 mixture "2515025 wt. '7( mixture 4 "40:4( 0 wt. 7: mixture of Type E/C/C alcohol as reported in Table l.

""203 adduct). S

15 wt. It mixture of Type E/E/C/C/ alcohols as reported in Table l. 20 wt. 7: mixture ofC C C C oxo alcohols. c.g.. NEODOL 25 (7 mol ethylene oxid ee footnote (2) Table l.

It is evident from the data reported in Table 3 that the vinylidene ethoxylates of this invention, eg from alcohols of Type A, B and C. are vastly superior to the linear alcohol ethoxylates prepared from either Ziegler alcohols, e.g., Type E alcohols. or from alcohols prepared by the hydroformylation of alpha-olefins. e.g., Type D alcohols. The advantage of incorporating the vinylidene ethoxylates of this invention with prior art products is demonstrated in Runs 20 and 21. Compariists), Method No. 17-1952, at 25C. The cloud point of the alcohol ethoxylates and the wetting time in seconds are reported in Table 4. The wetting times reported are for a 1.5 gm hook at 0.10 wt. concentration. The following data demonstratively show the clear superiority of the vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this invention over the linear primary alcohol ethoxylates of the prior art in wetting performance. The data also effectively demonstrates the surprising superiority of the son of Runs 3. 8 and 17 demonstrate that when the C 10 products of this invention over presently available comvinylidene ethoxylate is incorporated with other vinylidene ethoxylates that the time to solution in seconds is much faster than would be predicted from the solution time in seconds of the individual components alone. The synergistic effects of the C vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this invention will be further demonstrated herein.

mercial primary alcohol ethoxylates.

EXAMPLE XXII To further exemplify the nongelling tendencies of the vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this invention. the following runs are presented. The type of alcohol employed to prepare the various ethoxylates reported in Table are the same as those previously reported in TABLE 4 Run Alcohol Carbon No. Cloud Point. C Wetting Time. No Type Alcohol Alcohol Ethoxylate Seconds 1 D l l 60 8.0 2 C 1 1 60 7.5 3 1B 1 1 58.4 6.8 4 D 13 61 10.0 5 A 13 56 4.8 6 1B 13 44 5.0 7 1C 13 49 6.0 8 D 15 53.5 26 9 A 15 61 8.0 10 1B 55 9.0 1 1 C 15 64 10.0 12 D 17 52 70 13 A 17 56 13 14 1B 17 52 15 C 17 51.3 16 C 19 55 78 17 D 11/13" 57 10.5 18 D Ill/15"" 57.5 17.0 19 C 13/15 65 9.8 20 ID 11/13/15"" 59 14.0 21 D/C/C 11/13/15 63 8.8 22 ID/D/C/C 11/13/13/15 49 8.0 23 .D" 12/13 7.8 24 I) 12-15 71 21.8 25 E" 12-18 59 26.7 26 Secondary Alcohol 60 8.3

EXAMPLE XXI The novel vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates of this invention are herein compared with corresponding prior art alcohols as to wetting times. The alcohol types are the same as reported in Example XVIII and Table 1. Wetting times are measured by the Braves method (American Association for Textile Chemists and Color Example XVIII and Table 1. The indicated alcohol ethoxylates were admixed with water in the reported concentrations. The viscosity of the aqueous mixture was measured in centipoises on a Brookfield viscometer at 25C. The generally lower viscosities and the significant tendency of our compositions not to gel are clearly evident from the following data reported in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Run Alcohol Carbon No. Cloud CPS at 25 C.

No. Type Alcohol Point Wt. '7: Concentration 1 1D 11 52 25 165 I55 130 95 75 2 D 11 61.4 50 275 275 250 200 175 150 3 D 11 '16 20 35 180 gel"" 300 150 1 15 100 4 C 11 57 20 65 125 110 95 95 75 5 C 11 75.6 15 17 90 130 I05 92 90 6 C 11 158 I5 25 1 15 gel"" 220 150 115 100 TABLE 5 Continued Run Alcohol Carbon No. Cloud CPS at C. No. Type Alcohol Point Wt. 71 Concentration 7 D 13 52 700 gel 675 3,100 4.450 3,700 150 8 D 13 59 175 375 gel"" 600 1.400 1,200 175 9 D 13 69 75 175 gel 3,300 1,800 200 10 C 13 48 50 400 350 300 3,300 5,000 3.500 150 11 C 13 53 100 300 400 500 4.100 6,790 250 150 12 C 13 64 75 200 650 550 450 2.450 200 13 D/C 13 57 100 300 2,100 2,000 500 3,500 250 175 14 D/C 13 59 50 200 6,000 400 400 2,200 200 15 D/C 13 61.2 100 200 1,100 800 350 2,100 225 150 16 D 15 52.5 250 5,800 4,200 4,150 1,575 3,200 5,500 17 D 15 63.5 100 1,200 gel 42,000 7,500 7,500 7,500 18 D 15 72.5 100 150 gel 5,000 2,400 200 19 C 15 S1 150 750 900 550 2,000 2,800 3,450 200 20 C 15 64 125 750 gel 28,000 5,800 8,250 6,700 100 21 D 1 1/15 60.7 100 300 gel 1,000 5,000 4,400 200 22 D ll/l5 61.6 100 175 4,400 12,800 475 2.650 200 175 23 D 1 1/15 62.0 75 150 2,400 gel 2,500 400 250 3,250 24 D/C n 1 H15 60.5 50 400 1,450 1,300 4,100 6,880 5,560 5,600 25 C 13/15 58.9 75 350 950 500 300 13,800 300 200 26 C 13/15"" 60.0 50 500 15,500 1,650 3,000 5,100 5,300 200 27 D/D/C/C/ ll/l3/l3/15 49 100 200 300 250 175 1,850 200 200 28 C 17 54 3,500 3,000 4,500 1,200 4,000 17,000 19,000 400 gelled in 47-53% range. m 25:75 wt. mixture. gelled in 49-53% range. gelled in 35-55 range. gelled in 37-43% range. 50:50 wt. 70 mixture. gelled in 35-527( range. (0) 75:25 wt. mixture. gelled in 38-60% range. gelled in 45-52% range. 80:20 wt. 7: mixture. 20:80 wt. mixture. 20:80 wt. 7r mixture. 50:50 wt. 70 mixture. 50:50 Wt. 7: mixture. 20:80 wt. 7: mixture. gelled material in 36-52% range. 35:30:20:15 wt. 7( mixture. gelled in 38-60% range. gelled in 37-42% range.

EXAMPLE XXIII TABLE 6 The instant example demonstrates another signifi- 35 Carbon Ratio Cloud p i cant aspect of our invention and further exemplifies the Alcohol Type Alcohol (7.) w w/z (C.) vast differences between our novel alcohol ethoxylates C H 8 7 74s from those of the prior art. D H 85 :74s 74 As heretofore discussed, preferred vinylidene alcohol 5 H 3 ethoxylates conform to the following formula: 40 C I3 93 D 13 9.8 .754 80 C 13 10.6 .815 75 2 4)- o 13 10.6 .815 $7 C 15 10.6 .706 64 D 15 10.6 .706 78 wherein the ratio of w/z is in the range of 0.685 to 45 C 15 13 366 37 D 15 1.3 .866 95 0.755 and w and z are as previously defined. Accordingly, vinylidene ethoxylate compositions corresponding to the above formula were compared to ethoxylates of various other prior art alcohols. Comparison with other vinylidene ethoxylates where the ratio of w/; is outside said range was also made. It is evident from the comparisons reported in Table 6 that only the vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates, as above represented, have a cloud point temperature within the heretofore described cloud point range of 55C to 65C. The importance of this particular cloud point range was hereinbefore discussed.

Accordingly, the ethoxylated C to C,,-, vinylidene alcohols of this invention which correspond to the above formula, wherein the ratio of lV/Q, is in the range of about 0.685 to 0.755, demonstrate more rapid rate of solution in water. high detersive and surfactant properties, and the like, and provide cloud points within the particularly desired range. Thus, our alcohols and ethoxylate compositions are clearly distinguishable over those heretofore known. The alcohol types reported in Table 6 are those heretofore referred to in Example XVIII and Table l.

EXAMPLE XXIV To further exemplify the significance of the cloud point ranges as presented in Examples XXIII, the following table lists the wetting times of the vinylidene a1- cohol ethoxylates of this invention compared with alcohol ethoxylates of the prior art midway between said preferred range, i.e., at a 60C cloud point. The wetting times were performed according to the AATCC-l7 21 EXAMPLE XXV This example further demonstrates the superior wetting ability of our vinylidene alcohol ethoxylates. In particular, the following runs evidence the synergistic wetting ability of our preferred composition, i.e., the 9 to mol ethylene oxide adduct of our C vinylidene alcohols. Part 1 of Table 8 reports the wetting times of various prior art alcohols and of our inventive compositions at cloud points ranging from 50C to 70C. Part 2 of Table 8 reports the wetting times of various mixtures of alcohol ethoxylates as well as the wetting times that would be predicted from the wetting times of the individual components, alone, as reported in Part 1 of the table. The expected and actual wetting times for the various mixtures are reported. The wetting time procedure and the type alcohols employed are those as previously reported. The following runs clearly demonstrate that as little as 20 wt. of our preferred 9 to 10 mol adduct of the C vinylidene alcohols enhance the wetting ability of related vinylidene alcohols and of the prior art alcohols synergistically. A preferred composition, therefore, contains to 90 wt. of the 9 to 10 mol adduct of the C vinylidene alcohol, the remainder other vinylidene ethoxylates or 5 to 15 mol ethoxylate adducts of linear primary alcohols or mixture thereof containing about 1 l to 18 carbon atoms in the alcohol (alkyl) moiety. The linear primary alcohol or mixture thereof includes herein such alcohols prepared by the hydroformylation of alpha-olefins which includes about 10 to wt. alcohols having 2-lower alkyl branching.

At the various reported cloud points the mols of ethylene oxide employed with our C vinylidene alcohols are as follows: the 50C cloud point ethoxylate represents an 8.5-mol adduct; the C a 9.1-mol adduct; the C a 9.5-mol adduct; the C a l0-mol adduct; and the C a 10.2-mol adduct.

TABLE 8 part 1 Wetting Times, Seconds Cloud Point, C. of Alcohol Ethoxylate Run Alcohol Carbon No. No. Type Alcohol 50 55 60 65 70 l D 1 I 5.0 6.25 8.5 8.75 8.5 D l3 10 10.6 12 12.1 11.5 .11 C 113 6.55 8.0 8 9.0 8.5 ll C 15 13.7 12.5 11.2 11.25 12.5

Part 2 Wetting Times, Seconds Expected/Actual Time Cloud Point, C. of Alcohol Ethoxylate lRun Alcohol Carbon No. No. Type Alcohol 50 55 60 65 70 1 D 11/139a) 10.1/ll.3 it C 13/15 9b) 9.4/ 9.3 ll D/C 11/15 (c) 9 I10 D/C 11/15 (d) 9.6/10.6 D/C ll/l5(e) 10.1/ll.7 D/C ll/15 (f) 9.7/12.5 l D/C 13 (g) 11.2/ 9.6 11;; D/C 13 (h) 10.4/ 8.7 11 D/C 13 (i) 9.6/ 0.4 10 D/C 13 (j) 9.0/ 8.1 l 1 D/C/Ctk) l1/13/15(k) 7.4 8.2 8.84/8 9.35 9.3

8.0 8.1 8.7 10 l 2 D/D/C/C( 1) l1/13/13/15(1) 8.11 8.84 9.76/93 10.18 10.0

ta) 54:46 wt.7 mixture 11b] 57:43 W!!! mixture 11c) :20 wtf/r mixture 11d) 60:40 WtF/r mixture lc) 40:60 wt.7z mixture M 20:80 wL /r mixture lg) 80:20 wtf/r mixture 1h) 60:40 wtf/r mixture ll) 40:60 wtf/z mixture M) 20:80 wtf/l mixture 11k] 40:40:20 wtf/r mixture ll) 35:30:20zl5 WLV! mixture EXAMPLE XXVI The alcohol ethoxylates of this invention were tested and compared for detersive performance against prior art material. Generally, the prior art material and our composition performed comparably. However, with the ethoxylates of the higher carbon alcohols, i.e., C and above. the compositions of this invention were decidedly superior. Ross Miles Foam Tests (ASTM D- 1173-53} at 0.1% concentrations, conducted at F 6O likewise demonstrated that our compositions were We claim: 1. A vinylidene alcohol ethoxylate composition represented by the formula:

H l ll 3 (CH2) CH 2* CH (oczlla) Oll (all y wherein, individually, x and y are numbers from 1 to and the sum ofx and y is a number in the range of 6 to 16 and wherein w is a number in the range of 7 to l5.

2. The composition of claim ll wherein w is a number in the range of 7 to 12.

3. The composition of claim 1 corresponding to the following formula:

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,887,624

DATED I June 3, 1975 INVENTO 1 Robert M. Gipson, Floyd E. Bentley, John G. Milligan It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column l, 'line 59, change "thhe" to -the-.

Column 4, line 1, change "out" to -our.

Column 9, line 10, the formulareading "ROH PBr 3 R Br W RO(C2H4O)XH" should read --ROH PBr RBr HO(C2H4O)XH, RO(C H O) H Column 10, line 8, change "weight of" to -weight mixture of.

Column line '24, change "mater" to --water--.

Table 8, column 22, Part2, R #1, Change 3 55" to -11/13 (a) Table 8, column 22, Part 2, Run #2, change "13/15 9b)" to -l3/l5(b) Table 8, column 22, Part 2, Run #9, change "9.6/0.4" to 9 .6/9.4-.

Signed and Scaled this Nineteenth Day of April 1977 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner uflarents and Trademarks UNITED sTATEs PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3,887, 624 DATED June 3, 1975 INVENTOR(S) 2 Robert M. Gipson, Floyd E. Bentley, John G. Milligan It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent .are hereby correcied as shown below:

Column 1, line 59, Change "thhe" to --the--.

Column 4, line 1, change "out" to --our.

Column 9, line 10, the formula reading "ROH PBr 3 RE]: W RO(C2H4O)XH" should read --ROH PBr RE]: H(C2H4O)XH, Ro(c H o) H-' Column 10, line 8, change "weight of" to -weight mixture of-.

Column 10, line '24, change "mater" to -water- Table 8, column 22, Part 2, Run #1, change "ll/13 353 t (a)-'-.

Table 8, column 22, Part 2, Run #2, change "13/15 9b)" to --l3/l5(b) Table 8, column 22, Part 2, Run #9, change "9.6/0.4" to -9 .6/9.4--.

Signed and Scaled this Nineteenth 'Day of April 1977 [SEAL] Attest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Office Commissioner uj'latentsfand 'Trademurkx 

1. A VINYLIDENE ALCOHOL ETHOXYLATE COMPOSITION REPRESENTED BY THE FORMULA:
 1. A vinylidene alcohol ethoxylate composition represented by the formula:
 2. The composition of claim 1 wherein w is a number in the range of 7 to
 12. 3. The composition of claim 1 corresponding to the following formula: R''''''''z-(OC2H4)wOH wherein R'''''''' is the alkyl radical as represented in claim 1, z is a number within the range of 11 to 15 corresponding to the total number of carbon atoms contained in said R'''''''' radical, w is as previously defined and wherein the ratio of w to z is in the range of 0.685 to 0.755. 